Prices and Wages by Decade: 1830-1839
Links to government documents and primary sources listing retail prices for products and services, as well as wages for common occupations.
Wages in the United States, 1830-1839
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Farm laborer monthly earnings, 1818-1948Lists average monthly earnings with board, by geographic divisions. Data for years: 1818, 1826, 1830, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1890, 1909, 1919, 1929, 1940, 1948. Read the explanation and historical context for this table.
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Farm labor in Vermont - Daily wages, 1830s-1860sTable 26 shows daily wages for laborers, with board. The complete chart shows wage data for every year from 1780-1937; the explanation begins on page 43. Source: Vermont Agricultural Experiment Station.
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Building-trades wages - 1800 through 1836Wages of bricklayers, carpenters, masons, etc. Source: U.S. Dept of Labor Monthly Labor Review
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Women's wages in the 1830sFederal report tells wages and working conditions for women in the early 1800s. Wages in the 1830s are discussed in general on pages 23, 26, 27. Wages for domestic servants, for textile workers and women who made clothing are in other chapters. Piecework rates for union workers in New York are listed in the appendix on pages 260-261. The appendix also shows the average weekly earnings for girls working in book binderies in Philadelphia in 1835. Wages for additional jobs are discussed elsewhere in the volume.
GOVERNMENT and MILITARY SALARIES
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U.S. Army pay, 1833Privates and musicians earned $6 per month. Farriers, blacksmiths and artificers earned $10 per month. Corporals earned $8; sergeants earned $12 per month. See more in Nile's Weekly Register Apr 27, 1833, pp. 137-138.
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U.S. Navy pay charts (U.S.) - 1814-1893This is not a government website but it does a good job of organizing a complex topic. If you need original government documents showing pay, contact us.
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U.S. Navy officer pay, 1833-1834Pay for captains, masters commandant, lieutenants, surgeons and assistant surgeons, pursers, chaplains and Navy agents. Source: American State Papers Vol. 4, pp. 886-893.
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Salaries of governors, state officials and legislators - 1830Find the salaries under the section "Officers and their salaries" listed beneath each state in the table of contents for this source, the American Almanac and Repository of Useful Knowledge for 1830. Enter the page number in the "Jump to page" box. See example for Massachusetts. Use other editions to get salary data for additional years through 1860.
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Congressional salaries, 1789-presentHistorical chart shows salaries of members of the U.S. Congress, along with dates of enactment and statutory authority for each pay increase.
Wages reported at State and Local Levels, 1830-1839
WAGES in MASSACHUSETTS, 1830s
See tabs above for additional states
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Teacher wages in Massachusetts, by town - 1838Average monthly wages for school teachers, by county and then town. Reports wages paid to males separately from the average paid to females. Also reports the value of board to men and women. Use the Table of Contents to find the page number for any other Massachusetts town, then enter it in the "Jump to" box.
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Wages by occupation in Massachusetts (1830s)From the Massachusetts Bureau of Statistics of Labor, 16th Annual Report.
- Agricultural laborers 1752-1860
- Blacksmiths 1781-1860
- Bookbinders 1837-1860
- Carpenters 1772-1860
- Carriage makers 1831-1860
- Clockmakers 1815-1860
- Clothing makers 1803-1860
- Cordage makers 1825-1860
- Glass makers 1822-1855
- Gold/silver workers 1839-1857
- Harness makers 1815-1860
- Laborers 1752-1860
- Machinists, 1837-1860
- Masons, 1774-1860
- Metal workers 1815-1860
- Millwrights 1799-1858
- Nail makers 1781- 1855
- Painters 1801-1860
- Paper mill operatives 1815-1857
- Printers 1815-1860
- Ship/boat builders, 1789-1845
- Shoemakers 1754-1858
- Stone quarrymen/cutters 1836-1855
- Tanner/curriers, 1815-1860
- Teamsters 1836-1860
- Watchmen 1836-1860
- Wooden goods makers (coopers) 1809-1860
- Woollen mill operatives 1828-1860
WAGES in NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1830s
See tabs above for additional states
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New Hampshire wages, 1830sThe 1872 Report of Commissioners on Bureau of Labor Statistics to the [New Hampshire] Legislature is an incredibly rich source of wages dating from the 1830s; pages 41-45 focus on 1830-1840.
Wages, 1830s - Analysis
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Nineteenth Century Wage Trends30-page booklet reviews overall wage trends from 1800-1899. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Staff Paper #2.
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Online calculator: Present-day purchasing power of historic monetary amountsThe MeasuringWorth.com website provides online calculators, guides and tutorials to help researchers understand historic monetary purchases and payments in present-day terms, for the United States, Australia, Spain and the United Kingdom.
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"How Much is that in Real Money? A Historical Price Index..."Provides explanations and charts to help users calculate the current value of historic dollar amounts. Source: Proceedings of the American Antiquarian Association, Vol. 101 #2. Source
Wages in Foreign Countries, 1830s
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European wages by occupation and country, 1830s1839 book printed in Edinburgh, Scotland tells wages for a variety of occupations in England, Scotland, France, Belgium, Austria, Prussia and Switzerland. It is not a government publication but it does appear to cite local government data.
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United Kingdom - Wages, 1810-1886Extensive, 437-page government report indicates detailed wages by occupation in many locations throughout the UK. Wages are reported in British currency.
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Rural England and Wales - Wages by county, ca. 1834Reports from British county commissioners indicate wages by season and for men, women and children. (source). Rents by county are reported under Question 18 in a separate volume.
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Wages in Australia and Tasmania, 1836Section titled "Prices and Wages in New South Wales and Van Diemen's Land" also shows cost to buy necessary items and rent. Source: Journal of the Statistical Society of London
Prices in the United States, 1830-1839
PRICES for FOOD, 1830s
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Prices of staple items in the New York market, 1830sThis U.S. Treasury document shows prices for each month as well as yearly averages from 1825-1863 for flour, rice, fruits, fish, pork, beef, butter, cheese, salt, sugar, molasses, whiskey, brandy, wine, gin, rum, coffee, tea, tobacco, candles, hides, furs, leather, nails, whalebone, wool and more. Items priced are by the barrel or the ton are likely wholesale prices.
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Price of wheat and fowls in Albany, New York - 1793-1846Table reports annual data for price of wheat and fowls as well as wages paid for one day's service for every year from 1793-1846.
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Massachusetts - Prices for foodSource: Comparative wages, prices, and cost of living (from the Sixteenth annual report of the Massachusetts Bureau of Statistics of Labor, for 1885) by Carroll D. Wright. Click "more..." for direct links to food items.
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Food prices in Ohio cities, 1835-1839Shows prices for food items such as eggs, meats, coffee, molasses and more, as well as soap, hay, coal, etc. Prices in Cincinnati are shown on pages 799-801. Prices in Columbus for 1835-1839 are on pages 815-816. Both are part of a longer table that shows annual price data from 1825-1892. Source: Ohio Bureau of Labor Statistics, 17th Annual Report.
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Ohio prices, 1830-1862Table shows the price of coffee, sugar and tallow candles by the pound; corn and wheat by the bushel and hogs per each 100 pounds for each of these years: 1830, 1832, 1835, 1838, 1840, 1845, 1847, 1850, 1853, 1855, 1858, 1860, 1862. Source: Ohio Commissioner of Statistics, 7th Annual Report (1863).
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Prices paid for items purchased by Native Americans, 1838-1839This document shows how much the Caddo Indian tribe in the Louisiana/ east Texas area paid to purchase items such as frying pans, fur hats, children's shoes, men's boots, tobacco, sugar, coffee, corn, pork, whiskey, brandy, gin, dishes, calico cloth, scissors, needles, rifles, saddlebags, etc. Prices are recorded in a congressional document.
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Prices paid by trappers in the American west, 1830sThis memoir recalls prices for items trappers would purchase, such as food, alcohol, tobacco, articles of clothing, etc. Source: Alexander Majors, "70 Years on the Frontier."
PRICES for HOUSEHOLD ITEMS, 1830s
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Prices paid for items purchased by Native Americans, 1838-1839This document shows how much the Caddo Indian tribe in the Louisiana/ east Texas area paid to purchase items such as frying pans, fur hats, children's shoes, men's boots, tobacco, sugar, coffee, corn, pork, whiskey, brandy, gin, dishes, calico cloth, scissors, needles, rifles, saddlebags, etc. Prices are recorded in a congressional document.
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Itemized prices in 1830-1832This 500-page congressional report is filled with itemized prices of blankets, guns, knives, shirts, coats, pans, horse-bells, saddle bag locks and many more items associated with the mass Indian emigration known as the Trail of Tears. Use the "Search in this text" box to find more.
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Prices of staple items in the New York market, 1830sThis congressional document shows prices for each month from 1825-1863 for many food items as well as tobacco, candles, hides, furs, leather, nails, whalebone, wool and more. Some items are priced are by the barrel or the ton, but others are priced by the gallon or pound.
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Coal, soap, hay etc. prices in Ohio, 1830sPrices in Cincinnati are shown on pages 799-801. Prices in Columbus for 1835-1839 are on pages 815-816. Both are part of a longer table that shows annual price data from 1825-1892. Source: Ohio Bureau of Labor Statistics, 17th Annual Report.
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Ohio prices, 1830-1862Table shows the price of coffee, sugar and tallow candles by the pound; corn and wheat by the bushel and hogs per each 100 pounds for each of these years: 1830, 1832, 1835, 1838, 1840, 1845, 1847, 1850, 1853, 1855, 1858, 1860, 1862. Source: Ohio Commissioner of Statistics, 7th Annual Report (1863).
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New Hampshire prices, 1830sThe 1872 Report of Commissioners on Bureau of Labor Statistics to the [New Hampshire] Legislature is an incredibly rich source of prices dating from the 1830s; pages 41-45 focus on 1830-1840.
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Massachusetts - Prices for household itemsUnless noted otherwise, the extensive price figures below were collected by the state of Massachusetts, and reported in Comparative wages, prices, and cost of living (from the Sixteenth annual report of the Massachusetts Bureau of Statistics of Labor, for 1885) by Carroll D. Wright. Most tables below report price data up through the 1860s.
- Furniture
Bedsteads, bed cords, bureaus, tables and chairs are listed, with some prices dating to the 1790s. - Carpetings
Prices date to 1794. - Cutlery
Prices for table knives and forks back to 1780s, and pocket knives back to 1801. - Paper
Letter paper, priced by the sheet, dating to 1780s. - Tallow, candles, soap, etc.
Soap prices date to 1770s. - Oils for Illumination
Oils to light lamps and lanterns, dating back to the 1780s - Fuel
Charcoal, oak wood, pine wood, coal, etc. - Miscellaneous, not elsewhere classified
Price for brooms, brass kettles, brick, matches, tubs, tumblers, clocks, candlesticks, silver watches, feathers (by the pound), wine glasses and more. Prices for some items date to 1750s. - Tobacco and snuff
Prices for cigars by the dozen, and tobacco and snuff by the pound or (sometimes) ounce. Tobacco prices date to 1760s.
- Furniture
PRICES for CLOTHING and SEWING SUPPLIES, 1830s
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Prices paid for items purchased by Native Americans, 1838-1839This document shows how much the Caddo Indian tribe in the Louisiana/ east Texas area paid to purchase items such as frying pans, fur hats, children's shoes, men's boots, tobacco, sugar, coffee, corn, pork, whiskey, brandy, gin, dishes, calico cloth, scissors, needles, rifles, saddlebags, etc. Prices are recorded in a congressional document.
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Prices paid by trappers in the American west, 1830sThis memoir from Alexander Majors, "70 Years on the Frontier" tells some typical prices paid by trappers. Not a government document.
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Itemized clothing prices in 1830-1832Use the "Search in this text" box to find prices of shirts, hats, shoes, socks, clothing fabrics, blankets and more. These were expenses associated with the mass Indian emigration known as the Trail of Tears.
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Massachusetts - Prices for clothing and sewing suppliesUnless noted otherwise, the extensive price figures below were collected by the state of Massachusetts, and reported in Comparative wages, prices, and cost of living (from the Sixteenth annual report of the Massachusetts Bureau of Statistics of Labor, for 1885) by Carroll D. Wright. Most tables below report price data up through the 1860s.
- Clothing
Hats, handerchiefs and stockings back to the 1760s; gloves, breeches, pantaloons, hose and coats back to 1780s; shawls and vests back to the 1790s; mittens and waistcoats back to the 1810s. - Cloth
Prices for some types of cloth back to 1770s - Dress goods
Prices for alpaca wool and calico by the yard, as well as batiste, cambric, cashmere, crape, gingham, gauze, lawn, muslin, linsey woolsey, plaid, poplin, satin, silk, velvet and many other fabric types, some back to the 1770s but most back to the early 1780s. More fabrics are listed under the Dry Goods heading. - Dry goods
Prices for blankets back to the 1780s, cotton flannel, damask and denim, diaper cloth, shirtings, ticking, and more, some dating to the 1750s. - Boots, shoes and leather
Prices reported by the individual pair or by component such as buckles, leather, buttons, braid, fringe, etc. Detailed prices for style and type of shoe, boot, sandal, slipper, rubber overshoe, etc. Earliest price dates to 1750s. - Buttons and dress trimmings
Button prices reported by the dozen. Fringe and tape by the yard. Earliest price dates to 1780s. - Ribbons and laces
Prices date to 1783. - Small wares
Yarn, needles, pins, embroidery silk, cotton and linen thread. Some prices date to 1770s.
- Clothing
COST of TRANSPORTATION, 1830s
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Ocean passage from Scotland to New York, mid-1830sEmigrant's guide tells that ocean passage in a cabin with provisions would cost £12, or it could cost less than £5 for steerage with no provisions. Children traveled at half or one third price. This source includes an exchange rate table for pounds and dollars. (source)
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Railroad and stagecoach passenger fare on the Boston-Lowell lines, 1835Source: "Boston and Lowell railroad" in Massachusetts, legislative testimony published in 1867.
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New York - Hackney Coach Rates, 1830s
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Travel from New York to Toronto - 1834This travelogue tells the author's travel expenses from New York to Toronto (includes steamboat, railroad, and mail coach fares as well as meals and lodging along the way). Also tells steam boat fare from New York to Albany and stage fare to Niagara Falls (from Fort Niagara).
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Rail travel in New York State, 1839This travelers guide includes fares for a number of New York excursions, such as from Albany to Schenectady on the Mohawk & Hudson Railroad and from Troy to Ballston Spa and Saratoga Springs on the Schenectady & Saratoga Railroad. Source: The Hudson River guide and tour to the springs (1839). Not a government document.
Image source: Scriber's Magazine, July 1888, p. 175
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Railroad fares with various railroad companies - 1830sIssues of the American railroad journal contain advertisements and other fare announcements, such as: Paterson and Hudson River Railroad fare in 1832, Paterson and New York Railroad line fare in 1835, and New Jersey Railroad fare in May, 1837. In addition, the book Story of Railroad Passenger Fares (published 1942) lists fares on popular routes in the 1830s.
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Railroad passenger fares established by charter, ca. 1830Gives examples of the historic charters of railroads in various states, and tells what they were allowed to charge for passenger fares. Source: Report of the Industrial commission on transportation (1901), pages 904-905.
COST of REAL ESTATE, 1830s
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Land price in Michigan, 1830"The price of unsold wild lands is fixed and uniform, being $1.25 per acre; the terms ready money...." Land was purchased direct from the U.S. government. Source: The Emigrants' guide, or, Pocket gazetteer of the surveyed part of Michigan.
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Chicago lot and business real estate prices, 1830sLists 1830 selling prices at auction for Chicago lots bounded by State, Madison, Kinzie and DesPlaines streets. Also lists a few 1830s selling prices of lots in what is now the Loop of downtown Chicago. Source: Real estate values and historical notes of Chicago, pub. 1900.
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House rent in selected eastern cities, 1832-1834Navy surgeons, pursers and chaplains reported their annual house rent to the government for reimbursement, as well as annual expenditures for wood and candles. The source (American State Papers vol. 4) lists houses in Washington, Baltimore, New York, Philadelphia, Norfolk, etc. but does not indicate size of house. pp. 921-931.
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Land price in Indiana, 1832-1833Land near New Harmony, Indiana was priced at $15 per acre but two miles from the village, government land sold for $1 per acre. At the time, a square mile of government land was priced at $100. Source: Travels in the interior of North America, pp. 83-84.
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Land price in Texas, 1830s
- In 1831, land in Austin's Colony was available for 4 cents per acre. The title to the land would generally be $2 or $3. Settlers would be required to cultivate the land within six years, otherwise they'd have to forfeit it to the state. (Source)
- In 1834, Galveston Bay area land could be purchased at auction with a starting bid of $10 for 177 acres, approx. 6 cents per acre. (Source)
PRICES for TOOLS and BUILDING MATERIALS, 1830s
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Massachusetts - Prices for hardware and building materialsUnless noted otherwise, the extensive price figures below were collected by the state of Massachusetts, and reported in Comparative wages, prices, and cost of living (from the Sixteenth annual report of the Massachusetts Bureau of Statistics of Labor, for 1885) by Carroll D. Wright. Most tables below report price data up through the 1860s.
- Tools and implements
Hoes, shovels, spades, files, etc. priced by the dozen or when sold individually. Earliest price figure is from 1790s. - Lumber
Price for boards, plank, shingles, timber, clapboards, etc. by the foot. - Tacks, brads and nails
Priced by the pound. Earliest prices date to 1790s.
- Tools and implements
PRICES for ANIMALS, 1830s
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Horse prices in 1830-1832Horse prices are scattered throughout this 500-page congressional report which itemizes expenses associated with the mass Indian emigration known as the Trail of Tears. Use the "Search in this text" box to find hundreds of horse prices, cost of horse hire and feed costs, as well as the cost of saddles, bridles, etc.
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Race horse prices, 1832Horses bred for racing sold for much more than farm horses. Source: American turf register and sporting magazine, July 1832, pp. 568-570.
COST of HEALTH CARE and INSURANCE, 1830s
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Workplace-based health care and paid sick leave in Massachusetts, 1830sThis source describes payroll deductions taken for a "sick fund" which provided paid sick leave for employees. It also tells that a hospital stay was $4 per week for men, or $3 per week for women. Unhealthy conditions in textile factories are documented on pages 100-108. Source: U.S. Congressional Serial Set #5693.
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Medical services in Washington, DC - Rates and charges, 1833-1840Services listed include a consultation, venesection, tooth extraction, operations, amputations, midwifery, vaccinations, stitched and dressing, treatment for syphilis and gonorrhea, and various other fees. The entry for the Medical Association of Washington D.C. in The American Medical Almanac for 1840 shows the fee bill established in 1833.
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Medical services in New York state - Rates and charges, 1837-1838Shows the fees for a doctor's visit and consultations, obstetrical services, vaccinations, amputations, assisting with fractured bones, dislocated joints and other medical services. Volume 18 of the Boston Medical and Surgical Journal reports on the Washington County (NY) Medical Society, including their fee bill for services.
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Medical fees in Pittsburg, PA - 1836This 1836 fee bill sets rates for medical services performed by the physicians of Pittsburg, it was published in the November 1897 issue of the Pennsylvania Medical Journal.
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Physicians fees in Connecticut, 1829-1838This list of fees for physicians in the New Haven, CT area was established in 1829 and was not revised until 1838. It set prices for day and night visits, consultations, mileage, parturition, venesection, cathartic, and emetic.
COST of ATTENDING COLLEGE, 1830s
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Dartmouth College (New Hampshire), 1830Annual tuition was $27. Average room rent was $7.50. Board ranged from $1.12 to $1.75 per week. Also gives rates for wood, lighting, washing and incidentals.
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South Hanover College and Indiana Theological Seminary, 1832-1833Shows tuition by the "session" of which there were two per year.
See a full list of colleges as of 1837. Contact us if you need to know the tuition for any of these schools.
PRICES for SERVICES, 1830s
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Postage rates for letters mailed in the U.S., 1792-1863Chart from the Historian of the United States Postal Service shows price to mail a domestic letter. Not included are postage rates for ship and steamboat letters and "drop letters" (for local delivery), which were assigned different rates.
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Price of a newspaper or newspaper subscriptionWe recommend using the Library of Congress' "Chronicling America" website to find prices and subscription rates for individual newspaper titles in specific years. Click into the site and set the year boxes to your date range. Click "GO" and then check the "Show only front pages" box. If the price is not in the masthead, search for publisher's information somewhere in the body of the paper - often in the left column of the front page. Annual subscription rates are likely to be described there.
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Price of a haircut and shave, 1830sBarbershop prices found in newspaper ads:
Prices in Foreign Countries, 1830-1839
Prices in GREAT BRITAIN, 1830s
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Manchester, England - Household income and expenditures, 1836 and 1841Twelve Manchester families' income and expenditures are listed individually on pages 323-332. Shows how much each family spent per week on rent, various food items, coffee, tea, salt, soap, candles, etc. Source: Journal of the Statistical Society of London.
See chapter on the cost of farm laborers' dwellings and rents in 1830s England, pp. 627-649 in this source. -
Average house rent in Great Britain, 1821-1881Also calculates average house rent per house inhabitant. Does not include Ireland. Amounts shown in British currency. Source: Mulhill's Dictionary of Statistics, p. 236.
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England - Bread prices, 1817-1846Shows average prices of bread in England for each year from 1660-1899 on pages 27-35. Source: Three Centuries of Prices of Wheat, Flour and Bread (not a government document). The introduction to this table explains that these prices are for the type of bread consumed by lower middle classes, not the "fancy bread." Price sources are provided on page 21-22.
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Price for travel from British Isles to Canada - early 1830sEmigrant's guide tells the price of ocean passage and the cost of trips by steamboat in Canada. Guide was prepared by published by His Majesty's Commissioners for Emigration in 1832.
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Railroad fare - 1835Shows first, second, and third class fares on the Dublin and Kingstown Railway. Source: American Railroad Journal v. 4 (1835).
Prices in CANADA, 1830s
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Price for travel from British Isles to Canada - early 1830sEmigrant's guide tells the price of ocean passage and the cost of trips by steamboat in Canada. Guide was prepared by published by His Majesty's Commissioners for Emigration in 1832.
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Canada - Prices and wages by region, early 1830s1832 Emigrant's guide shows prices, wages, cost of rent, and more for upper Canada, lower Canada, and New Brunswick on pages 13-18.
Prices in FRANCE, 1830s
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French prices, mid-1830sThe English book Stranger's Guide to Paris (published 1837) tells the cost to travel from London to Paris, costs to travel within France, food at certain inns, admission for a hot mineral bath, swimming lessons, ticket prices at theaters, and more. All prices are given in English pounds, shilling and pence, but there is an exchange rate table between English and French money and an explanation of French coinage on the previous page. Although this book is primarily for tourists, it shows prices for services not typically needed by tourists such as the price for funerals and cemetery plots. To find more, use the full text search feature to search for words such as sous, price, admission and francs.
Prices in ITALY, 1830s
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Italy, Milan - Price of bread, wheat, etc., 1801 to 1908Bulletin of the United States Bureau of Labor, No. 87, Volume XX. Published March 1910.
Prices in SWEDEN, 1830s
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Cereal (wheat, rye, barley, oats) prices in Sweden, 1836-1900This table shows average prices for wheat, rye, barley, and oats in Sweden for 1836 to 1900. Yearly consumption per inhabitant for wheat and rye can be found in another table on page 156 of this book.
Exchange rate, 1830
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Value of money in countries of Europe, expressed in dollars and centsGives the dollar value for farthings, pennies, groats, shillings, crowns, pounds and guineas in Great Britain ca. 1830, and similarly lists all the types of money in each of the other countries, including Russia and Turkey. As listed in the American Almanac and Repository of Useful Knowledge published in 1830. Scroll to bottom of page for the start of the table. Not a government document.
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